ROG Xbox Ally Revealed, Plans Release For Holiday 2025

For the past year roughly, discussions have continued to swirl online about an Xbox handheld. After countless years of conjecture, the Xbox firm did confirm it is working on said hardware. Boss Phil Spencer has remained tongue & cheek on the project. And new information has surfaced on the new device. Codenamed ‘Project Keenan’, insiders pointed to a release outside of 2025 at the earliest. 

In a more recent development as of May last month, the Xbox firm has reportedly put the project on hold. The Xbox firm was said to be reshifting its focus on ongoing projects with manufacturer ASUS. Around the same time, there has been whispers of Microsoft also testing account integration with storefronts like Steam which does itch on potential handheld news.

At the Xbox Showcase on Sunday, Microsoft officially unveiled the ROG Xbox Ally. Arriving in both 512GB & 1TB options, the plan is to ship later this year. Price points have yet to be revealed. You can watch the reveal trailer in the video below:

“With the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, players can look forward to an approachable gaming experience that travels with you wherever you go, featuring several new and first-of-their kind features on both devices—from an immersive Xbox full screen experience, an aggregated gaming library with access to installed games from leading PC storefronts, and more,” Xbox gaming deices and ecosystem CVP Roanne Sones says.

“We’ve optimized Windows 11 to be easy to use on the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X from the moment you power on. Game Bar makes it easy to return home, browse your library, launch or quit games, chat with friends, open apps, adjust settings, and more. Now, with the integration of ASUS’s innovative Armoury Crate, Game Bar also gives you streamlined access to advanced device and input controls. Details like the lock screen and task switcher have also been adjusted for easy navigation with a controller.”

The ROG Xbox Ally is described as, “the essential handheld at a great value for everyone from the casual player to the avid enthusiast,” while the ROG Xbox Ally X is said to be, “the ultimate high-performance handheld, built for the most demanding players.” During the presentation, Xbox president Sarah Bond said storefronts like GOG, Steam, Epic Game Store, and Battle.net will be accessible on the handheld.

You can view the specifications list in the image below:

“When you power on your Xbox Ally, you’ll boot directly into the Xbox full screen experience, a new feature optimized specifically for handheld gaming. With new modifications that minimize background activity and defer non-essential tasks, more system resources are dedicated specifically to gameplay. That means more memory, higher framerates, and a fully immersive experience for players—all made possible by the versatility and freedom of Windows.”

What has you most excited for the ROG Xbox Ally?

The ROG Xbox Ally is listed to release sometime in holiday 2025.

Source: Xbox Wire